Yemen: Rebels Renew Coup with Political Council, U.N. Condemns

Riyadh, New York, Aden-Once again, Yemeni insurgents have violated Yemen’s constitution and international resolutions by announcing a unilateral agreement.

Houthis and Ali Abdullah Saleh have established a political council in a severe blow to the political solution called for by the international community in the country, which has been suffering from militias’ practices since September 2014.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, special envoy to the Secretary-General on Yemen, said that this development in the country contradicts with commitments made concerning the United Nations-led peace talks.

Farhan Haq, spokesman of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the “unilateral” decision obstructs the peace process and endangers the substantial progress made during the Kuwait talks.

He also described it as a clear violation of the Yemeni constitution and the provisions of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s initiative and its implementation mechanism.

Rajeh Badi, spokesperson of the Yemeni Government, downplayed the agreement struck between the two insurgent sides, telling Asharq Al-Awsat that this step showed that Houthis and Saleh’s forces don’t respect international efforts and the peace talks that took place in Kuwait.

Yemen’s Minister of Local Administration and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Relief Abdul-Raqib Saif Fath said that the rebels’ clear rejection of the international efforts of peace shows a state of confusion that precedes a political and military collapse.

From his part, Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi, Yemeni Foreign minister and head of the legitimate authority to Kuwait’s peace talks, urged the international community to pressure rebels on committing to the international resolutions and abiding by the requirements for peace in Yemen.

Mekhlafi added that Houthis and Saleh have successfully convinced the world that they are against peace and are responsible for the failure of the talks. He pointed that everyone knows who has waged war in the country and sought to destroy it despite the constant peace efforts showed by the legitimate authority.

Saudi Envoy to the United Nations Abdullah Al Muallimi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the U.N. is going ahead with the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2216 concerning the Yemeni crisis, and asserted that rebels would never be able to evade it.

Reacting to the move, Anwar Gargash, UAE minister of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted: “The setting up of a political council is a desperate attempt by those who turned against the legitimate government and dragged Yemen to violence.

“Their attempt to dodge the Kuwait negotiations has been exposed.

“It has been made clear to the international community that Houthis, who represent less than one percent of the population, have become addicted to power and wealth, and the new political council comes in that context.”